These are obvious lessons, but they’re ones I find myself continually learning as I continue on my writerly walk:
There is no finish line.
There is no such thing as “making it.”
There will always be challenges.
For me, there will always be fear. Fear of failure, fear of the unknown. Fear of trying something new (and failing). Fear of rejection.
I will always need to face my fears and overcome them.
I will always be a perfectionist.
I will always be more sensitive than most people and care more than I should.
I will always need to remind myself to relax, to smile, to laugh, to breathe.
The above statements are facts. I sometimes have trouble admitting or accepting them, but facts they remain.
It’s how I’m wired.
Carry on.
Jonathan Janz 
Fear is funny thing. I think I learned a lot about the fear of rejection and “making it” in my early twenties when I was focused on music. Those fears were pounded out of me pretty quick. What was left of the music business then had little room for punks like me. Were my songs were any good…who knows.I liked them. At the end of the day, that’s all you really have.
When I started writing stories a few years ago I already had that thick skin and absolutely no intention of “making it”. I wrote a novel and decided that I liked it. Once that happened,I let a friend read it… and she liked it. I formed one goal: see if I could get Don D’Auria to look at it. He didn’t have to take it (and he didn’t), but he did read it. Score!
I’ve learned not to let fear stop me. The worst thing people can say is “no”, or ” I don’t like it”. As long as you like what you’ve created, that’s really what counts. The rest is out of your hands. I think the sooner that sinks in, the sooner you can write and release fear free.
I’m certainly not a perfectionist either. I know I will never put out a perfect piece of work, so I’m not going to try and kill myself attempting it.it’s like the best love performances…the best ones usually have someone that’s a little of from the pretty original…that’s what makes it special.don’t edit out your “special”.
These are our children, they are not supposed to be perfect.
Sorry about that rant….your piece just got me thinking.
Don’t let fear or the quest for perfection get in your way. Just write what you like, and at the end of the day, if you like.it, you’ve already won.
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Really great thoughts, Glenn. I read them and enjoyed them several days ago, and then I forgot to tell you that. But I did enjoy them and appreciate them a lot. Have a good one, man! 🙂
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I read your while sitting at the end of my daughter’s bed after reading my girls to sleep. I typed that out on my Kindle. There’s quite a few auto-corrects, but I think the meat of my rant/message still made it through.
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Your grasp of life and terror is astonishing, and I’ve just read one of your tomes.
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Thank you, Ken! That means a lot to me. 🙂
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Thank you so much, Ken! That is very appreciated. 🙂
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